By Johnbosco Agbakwuru,Calabar
About 1000 Nigerian Air Force personnel are to compete in 22 sporting events at the 7th edition of the Nigeria Air Force Games to take place in Calabar in Cross River State and Uyo in Akwa Ibom State from October 29 to November 5, 2011.

Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Air Commodore Nurudeen Balogun who disclosed this during the drawing of fixtures for the team events for the games also said that about 200 VIPs are expected to grace the occasion.

Air Commodore Balogun said that three of the 22 events to be competed for like the games of chess, darts and scrabble would be conducted on non-scoring basis.

According to him, other sporting events where the Air Force officers will be chasing medals include badminton, basketball, football, handball, squash, table tennis, lawn tennis, volleyball, Cross country, shooting, tug of war, athletics, boxing, wrestling, weight lifting, swimming, judo and golf.

The Chairman Organizing Committee disclosed that based on the current four command structure of the NAF, five teams comprising Technical Air Command, TAC, Mobility Command, MC, Training Command, TC, Logistics Command, LC and Headquarters NAF will be featuring in the games.

He said the objectives of the Nigerian Air Force Games, 2011 which is dubbed Calabar/Uyo 2011 include to prepare NAF athletes for the next Armed Forces and Security Agencies Games coming up in 2012 and to encourage mass participation of NAF personnel in sporting activities on a grand level to enhance their physical fitness.

Balogun also said that the competition strives to help the officers in the performance of their statutory duties and was designed to foster the existing cordial relationship between the NAF and the civil populace within the host states, adding that the theme of the 2011 Games is “Harmony through Sports” in line with the transformation agenda of the federal government.

“The 7th edition of the NAF Games will offer another opportunity for Nigerians to assess their air force. With the recent boost in the nation’s air assets and capabilities, five aircraft types will be involved in fly past activities as well as rappelling during the games”, he said.